NEWS

ANNIVERSARY CONCERT FRA FRA BIG BAND

A different date is being sought for the anniversary concert scheduled for 4 April 2020 in the Bijlmer Parktheater.

BROKI-RHYTHM & STRING SEPTET

Broki Rhythm & String Septet will perform on 2nd November 2020 at the Bijlmer Parktheater and 30th November at Muziekgebouw aan het IJ. Read about the content of the concerts and check the ticket links in the items below.

THE IJ-SALON: SRANAN POKU - a Surinam party

Surinamese musicians challenge members of the Concertgebouw Orchestra - and vice versa. Swinging rhythms and instrumental highlights meet each other in a groundbreaking program. Inspirators and instigators of this musical encounter are guitarist / composer Andro Biswane and bassist Vincent Henar, one of the founders of the legendary band Fra Fra Sound.

The musicians of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and the band members of the Broki Rhythm & String Septet play Surinamese repertoire together plus parts from the atmospheric Die Stücke der Windrose by composer Mauricio Kagel.

Lineup:

Andro Biswane - guitar
Broki Rhythm & String Septet:
Vincent Henar - electric bass
Robin van Geerke - piano
Enrique Firpi - percussion
Musicians from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Muziekgebouw aan het IJ - Large hall
Date: 11/30/2019 - Time: 2:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Info & tickets: Muziekgebouw - The IJ-Salon

BIJLMER KLASSIEK: DE ZWARTE MOZART

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The Black Mozart (1745-1799)
The concert starts with Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-George. Born in Guadeloupe as the son of a slave girl and a French plantation owner. At the end of the 18th century he caused a furore in Paris as a composer and violinist. From there, the musical journey continues through Africa to well-known Surinamese songs of our time such as Anansi The Survivor, based on the story of Konu Oloisi lasi.

Broki Rhythm & String Septet:
Vincent Henar - bass guitar
Robin van Geerke - piano
Enrique Firpi - cajon and musicians from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

This program has been compiled by viola player Michael Gieler and bass player and band leader Vincent Henar.

Adults: € 16.00
CJP and Stadspas: € 13.50
Children (up to 12 years): € 7.00

A break drink (lemonade for kids) is included in the price.
Start: 20:00hrs
Duration: approximately 60 minutes

Info / tickets: Bijlmer Parktheater

WORLD OPEN JAZZ CONCERTS ZUIDOOST

Vincent Henar hosts a new series of free concerts each 1st Saturday afternoon at OBA Bijlmerplein.

In recent decades, the Zuidoost district has become a sought-after living environment for a wide range of professional musicians. Musicians working in a variety of genres, from jazz, classical, pop and world, often with a national and international reputation. Nowadays, quite a few conservatory students live in the Bijlmer.

The majority of these musicians perform throughout the country and far beyond, yet they rarely, if ever, appear in their own neighborhoods in Southeast. Therefore from September OBA Bijlmerplein presents World Open Jazz Concerts every 1st Saturday of the month. It is an open stage for musicians who live in or are connected to the Bijlmer and other Southeast neighborhoods.

The concerts have an informal character with an easily accessible setting, close to the audience and as much as possible acoustic. The performances are varied in form, for example as an informal jam session or as an experiment where musicians from different genres enter into surprising confrontations and collaborations with each other.

The musical encounters bring together audiences and fans of jazz, improvisation and other adventurous music. Together with the bands and musicians, a local jazz community is being built, where the richness and diversity of cross-overs and jazz in the neighborhood is widely featured.

Following dates:
09/11/2019 - Mike del Ferro Trio
29/11/2019 - Maspoti Band during Food Festival (not part of this series)
05/12/2019 - Brass Babes, featuring Sanne Landvreugd

Time: 15:00 - 17:00 hrs.
Info: OBA Bijlmerplein

FRA FRA SOUND Re-score FAJA LOBI
13/04/2017 @ BIRD - Rotterdam

This evening we'll see a very special project at BIRD. The Dutch-Surinamese documentary Faja Lobi will be shown live with a brand new musical score by Fra Fra Sound, Ronald Snijders and more!
Faja Lobi gives a lyrical and poetic look at the different cultures and landscapes in Suriname. We follow the course of the Maroni River and its villages and see the different communities living together. The original soundtrack of Big Jones, a popular Surinam musician, crafted especially for this evening, features vocals and is supplemented with original pieces.
Line-up:
Ronald Snijders: flute
Robin Geerke: piano
Carlo Hoop: percussion
Urvin Doornkamp: drums
Adedeji Adetayo: guitar
Michael Simon: trumpet
Vincent Henar: bass
Franklin Caesar: tenor saxophone
t.b.a: vocals

Info & tickets: BIRD-Rotterdam.

FRA FRA SOUND @ 14th SURINAME JAZZ FESTIVAL
27-30 October 2016

Fra Fra Sound is coming to Suriname for the 14th edition of the Suriname Jazz Festival.
Location: Torarica Hotel - Mr. L.J. Rietbergplein - Paramaribo
Date: 10/30/2016 - Time: tba

BETWEEN DAKAR, PARAMARIBO AND AMSTERDAM'
24/07/2016 @ Bijlmer Parktheater

Sunday afternoon July 24th Fra Fra Sound will present 3 shows.
At 14:00hrs Fra Fra Sound will perfom with Joell Wilson, a young talent who participated in Nyun Pransun.

And at 16:00 and 18:00 uur Fra Fra Sound will share the stage with Amsterdams Senegalese vocalist and songwriter Mola Sylla.Together they are compiling a show in which the different backgrounds and shared cultural roots are merged, from Amsterdam to Dakar via Paramaribo and the Caribbean, with a prominent place for their mutual fascination for Malian music.

A ticket for this show also provides access to the Kwaku festival area.

For info and tickets see Bijlmer Parktheater.

MUSIC DEPT. - booking agency

New year, new energy!! We welcome Music Dept. as our new booking agency. If you're interested in booking Fra Fra Sound please contact Maarten Mendelaar. Check this PAGE for contact details.

35 YEAR FRA FRA SOUND JUBILEE CONCERT

We've celebrated our 35rd anniversary with a special jubilee concert at the Bijlmer Parktheater. Special guest was steelpan player Andy Narell, a fenomenal musician who introduced the steelpan into jazz music. We've had a wonderful afternoon, for photo's click HERE

BRONZEVILLE

New CD Galloway Big Band now available!

Featuring musicians from Fra Fra Sound and Fra Fra Big Band, like Robin van Geerke, Rutger van Otterloo, Michael Simon, Michael Varekamp, Joe Rivera and Vincent Henar. With top Chicago jazz drummer Ernie Adams as special guest. Bronzeville includes Chicago style arrangements and several compositions by TS Galloway.

GBB-Bronzeville-small €15,00 incl. shipment. See shop.